Page 3 of The Spy Who Ghosted Me

My brows furrowed. “No.”

“Are you recovering from amnesia?”

“No,” I replied, wondering where this line of questioning would lead. I was sure it wasn’t a good place.

“Then we have nothing to say to each other.” She turned from me, her flawless skin splotching red on her face and neck while she picked up her crossword book and pen.

That went about as well as I expected.

Sabrina’s hands shook as she flipped through her book, trying to find her place.

A gentleman would have gotten up and moved away from her, but I was no gentleman. I had to do things almost every day I wasn’t proud of to get the job done, even if that meant eliminating people and making the beautiful woman next to me uncomfortable.

Mia soon returned. Unlike her cousin, Mia appeared to be less evenly keeled. She tapped her toes while her piercing glare bored right into me, just begging to unleash her wrath.

Sabrina shook her head, as if pleading with her to not make a scene.

Mia clenched her fists but kept herself in check. “You’re in my seat.”

“Pardon me.” I stood and moved to the vacant seat next to me, one of the few left at the gate.

Mia lowered herself into her chair and whispered in a deadly tone, “You need to leave.”

“That’s not possible, seeing as I’m on this flight.”

Sabrina whipped her head my way. “You can’t be.”

“Strange coincidence, huh?” I responded, knowing it was anything but.

Sabrina looked straight ahead in an almost-catatonic state. “This can’t be happening,” she repeated quietly to herself.

I knew to wait to tell her that not only was I on her flight, but I would be “vacationing” at her parents’ resort. And ... I would do my damnedest to make sure I saw us all safely there. Sabrina was in for a long day.

Sabrina

I GRIPPED MY CARRY-ON handle so tightly my veins popped out as Mia and I stood waiting to board our flight. Fellow passengers milled around us, waiting for the gate agent to call for the different boarding groups. Every few seconds, I’d sneak a glance at Cash, sitting where we’d left him, casually scrolling through his phone as if he didn’t have a care in the world. I had no idea he could be such a jerk. There was no I’m so sorry that I disappeared and didn’t say goodbye, probably because he wasn’t sorry. Long gone was the man who’d strolled with me through the antique markets of Saint Michel and bought me a beautiful old porcelain doll with red hair I’d admired because he’d said it reminded him of me. Now I wished I hadn’t kept her and given her a place of honor on my dresser.

If I weren’t afraid of my sister or of getting on some TSA watch list, I would beg the airline to let me switch flights. Unfortunately, Lexi’s bridal shower was tonight, and I would never hear the end of it if I missed it. We needed to take the early-morning flight because once we landed in Nashville, it was a four-hour drive to our small town of Charming Cove on what we Tennesseans referred to as the peaceful side of the Smoky Mountains. I would certainly need some peace after this morning. At least I knew I wouldn’t be sitting next to Cash on the flight; Mia and I had seats next to each other in the exit row. We liked the extra legroom, and we were able bodied enough to help in case of an emergency.

It felt as if I were having my own private emergency. My heart was beating harder than was probably advisable. This was the worst coincidence of my life, even worse than when Paula Gellar wore the same dress as me to prom.

“Wow. That’s weird. My boarding pass just changed. Looks like I got an upgrade to first class,” Mia interrupted my silent panic attack.

“Really?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t take it. I’m not leaving your side,” she promised.

While I appreciated that, it made me feel guilty. It’s not every day you receive a free upgrade, especially one for first class. I fished my phone out of my bag to check my boarding pass, since Mia and I had booked our tickets together. Oddly enough, a message from the airline popped up, notifying me that I had also gotten an upgrade. “Weird. I just got one too.”

Mia’s face lit up. “Yay!”

“Yeah, yay,” I tried to muster up some enthusiasm.

Mia threw a dirty look in Cash’s direction. “Don’t let him get you down. Nana would say he’s lower than a snake’s belly in a ditch.”

I smiled halfheartedly. Nana had the best sayings, and that exactly described Cash.

The gate agent called for people who needed extra time or help boarding. Only a smattering of people came forward. First class was called next. I made sure the snake didn’t get up. To my relief, he continued to look at his phone, not even attempting to stand. Phew.

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